


Sleeping In

by kopycat_101



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Bisexual Lê Chiến Kim, Bisexual Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Future Fic, Insomnia, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Max and Marc are mentioned but don't appear, Opposites Attract, Rare Pairings, Slash, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:15:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28119051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kopycat_101/pseuds/kopycat_101
Summary: Kim is a morning person that wakes up at 6am to go jogging. Nathaniel is a night owl that’s barely able to function at any point before eleven. Today, Nathaniel isn’t in bed when Kim wakes up, which is different.
Relationships: Nathaniel Kurtzberg/Lê Chiến Kim
Comments: 8
Kudos: 15





	Sleeping In

* * *

Kim opens his eyes five minutes before his morning alarm, making sure to turn it off before it rings across the bedroom and wakes his boyfriend.

Except, there’s a distinct lack of warmth from said boyfriend clinging to him in his sleep, as is usual. When Kim turns to survey the bed, it only confirms that the space that Nathaniel usually occupies is empty. That’s…different, certainly.

The athlete hums, shoving his mohawk back from his face and scratching at his temple in confusion. He glances back at the clock. 5:58 in bold, red numbers stare back at him.

“Huh,” he mutters with a bit of a yawn. “It’s early for Nath to be up…”

After all, Nathaniel is a night owl, always seemingly being the most active and inspired later in the day. He hates waking up early, barely able to function at any point before eleven. But that might be more because of his insomnia problems than anything…

The Vietnamese man simply shrugs, deciding that he’ll ask his boyfriend about the inconsistency later. Kim throws his legs over the side of the bed, fumbling for his slippers, before snagging his workout clothes along the way to the bathroom to start the day.

He does the usual, going to do his business and brush his teeth. He slips on a simple t-shirt and basketball shorts, pulling his hair back into a stubby ponytail instead of bothering to gel it up. No point, when he’s going to shower after his morning jog, anyways.

* * *

By the time Kim’s entering the kitchen fully outfitted and ready for his jog, he’d nearly forgotten the strangeness of his boyfriend missing from bed when he woke up, until he sees the redhead refilling his mug from the coffee machine.

“Morning, babe,” the athlete says brightly with an equally bright grin, sweeping in and bending down to leave a quick kiss on the other’s temple. “You’re up early!”

Nathaniel gives a low laugh back, mouth a crooked grin. “I’m not up early.”

Kim leans his hip against the kitchen counter, raising a brow and pointing out, “Uh…Babe, it’s six in the morning. That’s pretty early. Honestly, I think this is the first time I’ve seen you around at this time. You’re usually dead asleep.”

“Well,” Nathaniel starts, before taking a long and noisy sip from his mug of coffee, “that’s because I never went to sleep.”

A pause, as the statement lingers in the air, the athlete trying to process it. And when he finally does, he gapes back at the artist. “Wait, what?! You—you stayed up this entire time…?”

“Yup,” Nathaniel says baldly, popping the ‘p’.

“ _Nathaniel_!” Kim exclaims, voice turning a little scolding as he goes on with, “Nath, you can’t just not sleep! That’s bad for your health, dude…!”

The artist merely stands there and takes another long drag from his mug, keeping direct eye contact with Kim. When he finishes, he smacks his lips loudly and deadpans a blunt, “I know.”

“You also shouldn’t be drinking coffee right now. You need _sleep_ , not caffeine,” the athlete huffs, putting his hands on his hips. “Are you really planning on working more right now, when the sun’s out, and you’ve got zero sleep?”

“I’ve got deadlines coming up, Kim,” the redhead sighs, finally placing down his mug on the counter. “I need to get the next issue done for the publishers.”

“Getting your work done shouldn’t be at the expense of your health,” Kim points out in what he hopes is a very logical and convincing way, attempting to copy Max’s way of speaking. “Marc wouldn’t want you to work yourself sick, either. Plus, you’re more likely to make more mistakes without proper rest.”

Nathaniel sighs, rubbing at one of his eyes with a fist. Kim is hit by an overwhelming feeling of fondness and worry, noting just how stark the bags under his boyfriend’s eyes were against his pale skin. “Look, deadlines plus insomnia plus inspiration makes a helluva combination.”

“Well, you’ve already worked. Right now, you need to rest,” the Vietnamese man says softly, stepping forwards to gently tuck his boyfriend’s overgrown bangs behind his ear. Nathaniel just closes his eyes and leans his face against Kim’s hand, a little content sigh slipping past his lips that warms Kim’s heart.

“I know,” the artist murmurs, melting even further when Kim starts to swipe at his cheekbone with a thumb. Before long, the other was leaning forwards, burying his face against Kim’s broad chest. The athlete automatically shifts his hand to pet the other’s flame-bright locks, the other hand wrapping around Nathaniel’s back in a loose embrace. “’m…I’m so tired, but there’s so much to do…”

“Get some sleep, okay? You’ll have more energy for later if you sleep now,” Kim says quietly with a smile, feeling Nathaniel snuggle further into his arms. “Just don’t fall asleep standing up, okay?” he tacks on teasingly, feeling the shorter man sway slightly against him.

“Shut uuuup,” Nathaniel groans, Kim chuckling delightedly at seeing his pale ears turning pink from a blush. “Not gonna fall asleep standing up…”

“Then let’s get you to bed right now,” the athlete says warmly, feeling a bit mischievous as he wraps both arms around the shorter man. “I can even carry you, if you want?”

Before his love can answer, he’s already bending his knees and flexing his arms, picking Nathaniel right off the floor. Nathaniel squeaks, instantly wrapping his arms around Kim’s neck, before giggling helplessly against his chest as Kim walks them out of the kitchen.

“Dork…” the artist says against Kim’s chest, voice thick with fondness and embarrassment, ears now a burning red that nearly matched his hair.

Kim just gives a chuckle, letting it rumble through his chest, carrying his sleepy boyfriend back to their bedroom. He hip-checks the door open, kicking it lightly with a foot to close it, carrying his boyfriend all the way to their bed. Kim leans down slightly, flexing and holding the other up in just one arm as he quickly yanks the covers down, before he gently settles Nathaniel down on his side of the bed.

Nathaniel’s entire face is pink, but he smiles up at Kim with a soft expression of awed appreciation. “You’d really do all this to get me to sleep, huh...?”

“Well, I’d do anything to get you in my bed, yeah,” Kim jokes with a wink, the redhead throwing his head back against the pillows to give a loud bark of laughter.

He can’t help but pause and stare down at the artist, taking in his visage of understated beauty. Even sleep-deprived and exhausted, he looks beautiful to Kim. The smattering of freckles against his nose and cheekbones like constellations, the shapes of his lips pulled into a tired smile, the way his hair spills out against the pillow like a flame, the hazy look in his pretty blue eyes…

“What’re you staring at?” Nathaniel asks in a whisper, a small smile on his lips.

“You,” Kim answers glibly, automatically. “You’re pretty, even when you’re tired.”

The other lets out a small, disbelieving laugh, cheeks pink. “You’re ridiculous.”

“So are you,” Kim refutes, leaning down to peck the other’s lips. “Now, c’mon. Get under the covers. I’m gonna join you.”

The athlete casually walks to the other side of their bed, toes off his running shoes, and then slides in next to his boyfriend. His very stunned-looking boyfriend, who was staring back at him with wide, sea-blue eyes, mouth shaped in a small ‘o’.

“W-Wait, but…” the other sputters out, blinking back at Kim, “But don’t you usually go on your morning jog about now…?”

“Well, yeah,” he shrugs, turning on his side and shuffling closer to his boyfriend with a grin. “But I can skip my morning jog for _one_ day. It won’t hurt me. I can take a day off as a breather.”

“Y-You really don’t have to…” Nathaniel trails off softly, suddenly incredibly shy, half-hiding under the covers.

“I don’t have to. But I want to,” Kim answers honestly, wrapping an arm around the redhead and pulling him close. “You’re a night owl and I’m a morning person, so we really don’t get to see each other much, or cuddle, lately. I’ve been kinda missing you. Is that weird…?”

“No, it’s…it’s not weird,” Nathaniel answers quietly, slotting his body against Kim’s and snuggling close, pressing a smile against the athlete’s collarbones.

Nathaniel fit in Kim’s arms so perfectly, it was like he was born for it. It always made the Vietnamese man feel quietly content, soothed the little voice in the back of his head wondering if he was always too much for the other to handle. But with the way Nathaniel melts against him naturally, burying his face against Kim’s chest and Kim propping his chin on top of the other’s head, connecting perfectly like two puzzle pieces…It made Kim think that, no, there was nothing wrong with their differences. What mattered is that they supported and looked out for one another, could feel safe in one another’s embrace, so familiar that accommodating each other was as natural as breathing.

“Sorry for being so busy,” Nathaniel says against Kim’s chest, fingers curling tighter against his t-shirt.

“It’s okay. I get busy with training and stuff too,” the athlete responds soothingly, petting the other’s hair, feeling Nathaniel give a shaky sigh. “We’ll talk ‘bout it later, ‘kay? Let’s just take it easy today.”

“Okay…” the artist says, loosening his grip on the other’s shirt. The last of the tension seems to melt from his body, then, as he turns into deadweight in Kim’s arms. After a long second, he murmurs a sleepy little, “love you.”

“Love you too,” Kim whispers, placing a kiss on the crown of flame-like hair. He waits until he hears Nathaniel’s breaths even out before he allows his eyes to droop.

It’s fine if he takes a break today. Being with his boyfriend right now was more important. Making sure that the artist could sleep and spending some quality time with Nathaniel in his arms.

So Kim allows his eyes to fall closed, curling around his love, allowing Nathaniel’s light snores and warmth lull him back into sleep.

* * *


End file.
